FirstSearch

Description: FirstSearch, a product of the Online Computer Library Center (OCLC), connects users to a wide range of subjects in a variety of databases.

Our access to FirstSearch is provided through the auspices of the Illinois State Library and currently includes use of 16 databases. There are:

Bibliographic databases: SILC (Statewide Illinois Catalog), WorldCat (catalog of library materials worldwide), and E-books (all online electronic books cataloged by OCLC member libraries).

Periodical Indexes (selective full-text available): ArticleFirst, Wilson Select, ClasePeriodica, ECO, ERIC, and MEDLINE

Conference Proceedings and Papers: PapersFirst and Proceedings

U.S. Government Publications: GPO

Database of all disseratations & theses available in WorldCat:WorldCatDissertations Funk and Wagnalls Encyclopedia and four almanacs: WorldAlmanac

Use: Users can search WorldCat for items of interest on particular subjects or by a specific author that are not in our system catalog. There is a fair amount of full text available in PerAbs and WilsonSelectPlus making those databases useful for students looking for articles on a variety of topics. ABI/Inform indexes business and management periodicals with some full text available. MEDLINE provides indexing and substantial abstracts for thousands of scholarly medical, dental and nursing sources, although most of the articles are not written for the lay reader. There is some full text available.

Access: This database is available on all library computers. It's accessible from home for EPL cardholders.

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